Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems G68 Multi-Zone (and some more Q)?

Hi again,

I have had a G68ADV/G98DH combo for a short while and since I'm upgrading/changing the whole system I haven't used it much since it's commonly missing a component (I have sold the old power amp and not gotten the new(er) one delivered yet, for example...)

I use G68 as a switcher and the G98 is (not really at the moment) used as a scaler.

Well, to the questions:

* I have multiple sources (cable, sattelite, SACD, S-VHS, G98, MD...) but not all connected yet. As I understand it I will have no problems displaying all video sources on our plasma connected to the G98 using a component cable? All composite and S-Video will be up-converted, for RGB I will (have to) use an RGB->Component converter and connect that to the G68, correct? And the different corresponding sound should be possible/easy to have follow suite so it is played in the Home Theatre speakers?

* We have two TV's upstairs, and right now they are only connected from downstairs using an antenna cable. I will now describe the old setup: The RF feed comes in, goes through the cable box and the selected channel is added to the basic analogue channels. That is then routed through the sattelite decoder, to add that decoded channel as well. Next it goes through the S-VHS video, so any program could be recorded, next to an antenna amplifier/splitter so the signal can be passed to the TV's upstairs. The plasma usually doesn't need that RF feed, since both the cable box, the satellite decoder and the S-VHS are connected directly to separate SCART contacts on the TV. But the TV's upstairs get bad signal quality even if the signal is amplified.

What I thought now is to utilize the G68 multi-zone capability, but the information I have read in the manuals are not perfectly clear...

This is what I believe is said/written about the Zone 2/3:
* Both composite and S-Video can be used simultaneousley.
* S-Video can be down-converted to composite, no other conversion whatsoever can be done (so no component sources).
* For maximum utilization of multi-zone I would need to route one S-Video and one composite cable, as well as an analogue sound stereo pair (the TV's can't take koax/Toslink) between the floors.
* The signals need to be split when at second floor, so it can serve both TV sets.
* 15-20 meter long S-Video/composite/analogue adudio will work, but only if they are of good quality.

What I don't know is the limitations of the multi-zone capability. The usage of the words "Copy Zone" indicates that the same source which is selected and played in our living room will be routed upstairs - that's exactly what we do NOT want... Or could separate sources be routed to Zone 1 (living room) and Zone 2/3? How?

I believe I have forgotten one or twi questions, but I guess I'll be back with them later...

> As I understand it I will have no problems displaying all video sources on our plasma connected to the G98 using a component cable?

No problem.

> All composite and S-Video will be up-converted,

Yes.

> for RGB I will (have to) use an RGB->Component converter and connect that to the G68, correct?

Yes.

> And the different corresponding sound should be possible/easy to have follow suite so it is played in the Home Theatre speakers?

Yes.

> * Both composite and S-Video can be used simultaneousley.

No sure. But properly yes.

> * S-Video can be down-converted to composite, no other conversion whatsoever can be done (so no component sources).

True.

> * For maximum utilization of multi-zone I would need to route one S-Video and one composite cable, as well as an analogue sound stereo pair (the TV's can't take koax/Toslink) between the floors.

Yes.

> * The signals need to be split when at second floor, so it can serve both TV sets.

Or two set of cables to connect zone 2 to one TV and zone 3 to the other.

> * 15-20 meter long S-Video/composite/analogue adudio will work, but only if they are of good quality.

Good quality is always nice.

> Or could separate sources be routed to Zone 1 (living room) and Zone 2/3? How?

You can select between a specific source or the source played in zone 1 to played in zone 2 and 3. You can select a different source for zone 2 and 3. The only problem is that the source for zone 3 can not be select from the remote.

> but I guess I'll be back with them later...

OK

Thanks for your answers, then it seems a viable solution to be able to replace/complement the bad quality created by the RF cable passing through all that equipment

The largest problem is to find a place where I can get the cables through to the seconfd floor, where the antenna cable is it's not even possible to fit a second antenna cable - that's why I thought more of a splitter than two cable sets. The cable length will be similar since the two rooms with TV sets upstairs aren't that close.

'But the TV's upstairs get bad signal quality even if the signal is amplified.'

Just a thought but have you checked the TV coax. connections are OK? Poor signal quality can result from a single strand of cable shorting. I know because I have just experienced the same problem as you and the offending strand was microscopic! I have a similar arrangement with sources daisychaining and being fed into a loftbox amplifier/splitter feeding 6 TV outlets. Also another thought is that if you are in an exceptionally good reception area adding amplification will degrade rather than enhance the signal

Rod

Thanks, I have checked it but it's never wrong to double-check... It seemed to me I had just added one source too many.

Without the amplifier/splitter the signal is clearly worse.

Even if I will try the S-Video/composite/analogue stereo route for better picture quality I'm also interested in getting the RF quality better since we then can watch the analogue uncoded cable channels without the need to change channel on the decoder downstairs as well watch two different cable channels at once.